Psychopathy: Do the Patients Referenced by Richard Kraft Ebing Gravitate to Work in High Tech?

November 12, 2021

First, who is Richard Kraft Ebing? He was an Austro-German psychiatrist with some interesting research. Wowza. He described selected human behaviors in a way which caught the attention of a couple of the Psychology Today professional when we were talking after I delivered a report. Yep, that was a memorable day. The big dog in overalls; the marketing wizard chatting intensely with an intern in gym clothes; and the sun sparkling on the beach behind the house in Del Mar, California. I recall there was some talk about the computer company providing hardware and software to the firm which owned Psychology Today, Intellectual Digest, and a few other high IQ publications. The main point was that the computer sales people lied. “Those guys cheated us. We were raped.” That’s when I referenced good old Richard Kraft Ebing?

Flash forward to “Science Reveals the Fascinating Link between Lying and Technology.” The story is paywalled, of course. One pays for the truth, Silicon Valley infused journalism, and the unvarnished truth about high technology in its assorted manifestation.

But before looking that the article itself, let me highlight two of the rules for high technology sales and and marketing effectuators.

Rule Number One; herewith:

Tell the prospect what he or she wants to hear.

Now for Rule Number Two:

Hyperbole and vaporware are not really falsehoods. Sell sizzle, not steak.

The article in Fast Company is quite like some of T George Harris’ faves. (T George, described as a visionary journalist, was a big wheel at the outfit which owned Psych Today and ID decades ago.)

The main point of the write up published online on November 12, 2021, struck me as:

The belief that lying is rampant in the digital age just doesn’t match the data.

There you go. Definitive evidence that truth reigns supreme. Example: when Verizon uses the word “unlimited.” Example: Charter Spectrum sells 200 megabit connectivity. Example: FAANG statements under oath.

Yep, truth, integrity, and the best of what’s good for “users.” Psychopathia whatever.

Stephen E Arnold, November 12, 2021

Written by Stephen E. Arnold · Filed Under Marketing, News, Technology

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.